Improvement in corn-planters



J. D. SMITH.

Gurn-Planers.

Patented Feb. 25,1873. K

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Mu/kLWMww/v .TTTED STATES JOSEPH D. SMITH, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORN-PLANTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 136,341, dated February 25, 1873.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, J osEPn D. SMITH, of Muskegon, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Planters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters ot' reference marked thereon, which form a part of this speeication. j The nature ot' my invention consists in the construction and arrangement ofthe frame of a corn-planter, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in whichl Figure l is a perspective view of my entire cern-planter, and Fig. 2 shows a ball-and-sock et joint used in the saine.

A represents the axle-tree, with a wheel, B, on each end. On the axle-tree A are secured two bars, C G, which are placed in an inclined position, so that their iront ends will meet, and are connected together by means of plates a a. These plates form at their front or outer ends a socket, b, in which is placed a ball, d., the stem e of which is firmly secured in a cross-bar, E, and to this cross-bar the tongue D is attached, thus forming a ball-and-socket or universal joint between the tongue and the frame of the machine. The tongue D extends far enough toward the rear that its extreme end will be between two guides, f f, on the front side of a standard, G, which is secured' on the axle tree A. The rear end of the tongue is supported by aV pin, t, which passes through the guides f f, and which may be raised and lowered at will for the purpose of regulating the depth at which the runners are to work. The runners H H are attached to the ends of the cross-bar E in any of the known and usual ways, and their rear ends attached to conductors fastened on the under sideof the dropper or corn box I, said box being 1ocated upon and rmly secured to the tongue D. J represents the drivers seat, which is hinged to the upper end of the standard G, and its front end, by an adjustable bar or rod, 7L, connected to the tongue. l

The ball-and-socket joint b d allows the machine to accommodate itself to the unevenness of the ground, and the rear end of the tongue workin g between the guides j' f, keeps it straight in line with the wheels.

By means of the hinged seat J, the runners may easily be raised out of the ground at the will of the driver. r

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In combination with a ball-and-socket or universal joint, for the purposes described, vertical guides attached to the axle, or some attachment of the axle of the wheel-frame, between which the rear end of the tongue will work, and a movable pin passing through said guides to support that end of the tongue, all

substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH D. SMITH. Witnesses:

J osrAH DEAKE, WILLIAM LEE. 

